fluid: haobin

18

"your new pair arrived today," dr. lim reaches across the desk and slides a box to his patient. "you'll be able to hear better but with less sensitivity."

"and you're sure it's invisible like my current ones?" hao starts to open the tab.

"i can't promise it's entirely out of sight but it's noticeable only when someone looks closely at your ears."

inside the box is another pair of hearing aids, but instead of the small design that would be hidden from view by hao's tragus, the new ones were bigger with a transparent bit that would stick out a bit to hold it in place.

hesitatingly, hao takes off the current pairs and carefully puts in the new ones, cringing a bit at the cold material against his skin. once it was in, he looks in the mirror and had to admit that even if they were more noticeable than before, the sound was much better.

"it doesn't feel loose or too tight," he shakes his head around to make sure they don't fall out. "will the silicone bit irritate my ear if i keep it in for too long?"

"it's possible, but they're the softest material we could get so hopefully it wouldn't happen. if you want, you can use your old hearing aids when you're at home or when you don't have to listen to so many things," the doctor suggests. "i also wanted to tell you about the tests from today."

he turns his computer around and shows hao the blood chart.

"the numbers are looking much better and they're also going up as well. right now, i can say that you're responding very well to the drug therapy and it could reach the point where your hearing could be restored to the point of you not needing hearing aids anymore."

"really?" hao looks with hopeful eyes. "and would it mean i can play violin again?"

"yes."

.

.

.

after another hour, hao bows to dr. lim before exiting the office. he then heads over to the receptionist to schedule the next appointment.

"hi, can i make an appointment for 4 weeks later?"

"of course, give me a moment," the woman scrolls before looking up. "do you have a specific time you prefer?"

"same time as today or early in the morning."

"we have an opening for 3:30 for the 18th, which is a thursday, or 7:45 on monday the 15th."

"i'll take monday."

"alright, then we'll see you then! have a nice day!"

"you too."

hao turns to leave but to his luck, a familiar face enters the waiting area and stops when seeing him.

"hao hyung?"

"hanbin..." the manager's heart starts pounding at the situation. how was he gonna explain how he was at a hearing clinic with a box for hearing aids in his hands? "i wasn't expecting to see you here..."

"yeah, i'm here for my grandmother," hanbin helps the elderly woman take a seat.

"oh, hello," hao bows to her, earning a gentle smile.

"hello, are you one of hanbin's friends?"

"he's someone i work with," hanbin explains. "remember the job matthew recommended me for? he manages the place."